miss billy-第20章
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〃tiresome；〃 she declared； and so 〃absurd。〃
Billy rather dreaded her next meeting with Bertram。 She feared
she knew not what。 But； as it turned out； she need not have feared
anything； for he met her tranquilly； cheerfully； as usual； and he
did nothing and said nothing that he might not have done and said
before that twilight chat took place。
Billy was relieved。 She concluded that； after all； Bertram was
going to be sensible。 She decided that she； too； would be
sensible。 She would accept him on this； his chosen plane； and she
would think no more of his 〃nonsense。〃
Billy threw herself then even more enthusiastically into her
beloved work。 She told Marie that after all was said and done；
there could not be any man that would tip the scales one inch with
music on the other side。 She was a little hurt； it is true； when
Marie only laughed and answered：
〃But what if the man and the music both happen to be on the same
side； my dear； what then？〃
Marie's voice was wistful； in spite of the laughso wistful that
it reminded Billy of their conversation a few weeks before。
〃But it is you； Marie； who want the stockings to darn and the
puddings to make；〃 she retorted playfully。 〃Not I！ And； do you
know？ I believe I shall turn matchmaker yet； and find you a man；
and the chiefest of his qualifications shall be that he's
wretchedly hard on his hose； and that he adores puddings。〃
〃No； no； Miss Billy； don't； please！〃 begged the other； in quick
terror。 〃Forget all I said the other day； please do！ Don't tell
anybody！〃
She was so obviously distressed and frightened that Billy was
puzzled。
〃There； there； 'twas only a jest； of course；〃 she soothed her。
〃But； really Marie； it is the dear； domestic little mouse like
yourself that ought to be somebody's wifeand that's the kind men
are looking for； too。〃
Marie gave a slow shake of her head。
〃Not the kind of man that is somebody； that does something；〃 she
objected； 〃and that's the only kind I couldlove。 HE wants a wife
that is beautiful and clever； that can do things like himselfLIKE
HIMSELF！〃 she iterated feverishly。
Billy opened wide her eyes。
〃Why； Marie； one would thinkyou already knewsuch a man；〃 she
cried。
The little music teacher changed her position； and turned her eyes
away。
〃I do； of course；〃 she retorted in a merry voice； 〃lots of them。
Don't you？ Come； we've discussed my matrimonial prospects quite
long enough；〃 she went on lightly。 〃You know we started with
yours。 Suppose we go back to those。〃
〃But I haven't any；〃 demurred Billy； as she turned with a smile to
greet Aunt Hannah； who had just entered the room。 〃I'm not going
to marry； am I； Aunt Hannah？〃
〃Erwhat？ Marry？ My grief and conscience； what a question；
Billy！ Of course you're going to marrywhen the time comes！〃
exclaimed Aunt Hannah。
Billy laughed and shook her head vigorously。 But even as she
opened her lips to reply； Rosa appeared and announced that Mr。
Calderwell was waiting down…stairs。 Billy was angry then； for
after the maid was gone； the merriment in Aunt Hannah's laugh only
matched that in Marie'sand the intonation was unmistakable。
〃Well； I'm not！〃 declared Billy with pink cheeks and much
indignation； as she left the room。 And as if to convince herself；
Marie； Aunt Hannah； and all the world that such was the case； she
refused Calderwell so decidedly that night when he； for the half…
dozenth time； laid his hand and heart at her feet； that even
Calderwell himself was convincedso far as his own case was
concernedand left town the next day。
Bertram told Aunt Hannah afterward that he understood Mr。 Calderwell
had gone to parts unknown。 To himself Bertram shamelessly owned
that the more 〃unknown〃 they were； the better he himself would be
pleased。
CHAPTER XXX
MARIE FINDS A FRIEND
It was on a very cold January afternoon； and Cyril was hurrying up
the hill toward Billy's house； when he was startled to see a
slender young woman sitting on a curbstone with her head against an
electric…light post。 He stopped abruptly。
〃I beg your pardon； butwhy； Miss Hawthorn！ It is Miss Hawthorn；
isn't it？〃
Under his questioning eyes the girl's pale face became so painfully
scarlet that in sheer pity the man turned his eyes away。 He
thought he had seen women blush before； but he decided now that he
had not。
〃I'm surehaven't I met you at Miss Neilson's？ Are you ill？
Can't I do something for you？〃 he begged。
〃Yesnothat is； I AM Miss Hawthorn； and I've met you at Miss
Neilson's；〃 stammered the girl； faintly。 〃But there isn't
anything； thank you； that you can doMr。 Henshaw。 I stopped to
rest。〃
The man frowned。
〃But； surelypardon me； Miss Hawthorn； but I can't think it your
usual custom to choose an icy curbstone for a resting place； with
the thermometer down to zero。 You must be ill。 Let me take you to
Miss Neilson's。〃
〃No； no； thank you；〃 cried the girl； struggling to her feet； the
vivid red again flooding her face。 〃I have a lessonto give。〃
〃Nonsense！ You're not fit to give a lesson。 Besides； they are all
folderol； anyway； half of them。 A dozen lessons； more or less；
won't make any difference； they'll play just as welland just as
atrociously。 Come； I insist upon taking you to Miss Neilson's。〃
〃No； no； thank you！ I really mustn't。 I〃 She could say no
more。 A strong； yet very gentle hand had taken firm hold of her
arm in such a way as half to support her。 A force quite outside of
herself was carrying her forward step by stepand Miss Hawthorn
was not used to strong； gentle hands； nor yet to a force quite
outside of herself。 Neither was she accustomed to walk arm in arm
with Mr。 Cyril Henshaw to Miss Billy's door。 When she reached
there her cheeks were like red roses for color； and her eyes were
like the stars for brightness。 Yet a minute later； confronted by
Miss Billy's astonished eyes； the stars and the roses fled； and a
very white…faced girl fell over in a deathlike faint in Cyril
Henshaw's arms。
Marie was put to bed in the little room next to Billy's； and was
peremptorily hushed when faint remonstrance was made。 The next
morning； white…faced and wide…eyed； she resolutely pulled herself
half upright； and announced that she was all well and must go home
home to Marie was a six…by…nine hall bed…room in a South End
lodging house。
Very gently Billy pushed her back on the pillow and laid a
detaining hand on her arm。
〃No； dear。 Now； please be sensible and listen to reason。 You are
my guest。 You did not know it； perhaps； for I'm afraid the
invitation got a little delayed。 But you're to stayoh； lots of
weeks。〃
〃Istay here？ Why； I can'tindeed； I can't；〃 protested Marie。
〃But that isn't a bit of a nice way to accept an invitation；〃
disapproved Billy。 〃You should say； 'Thank you； I'd be delighted；
I'm sure； and I'll stay。'〃
In spite of herself the little music teacher laughed； and in the
laugh her tense muscles relaxed。
〃Miss Billy； Miss Billy； what is one to do with you？ Surely you
knowyou must know that I can't do what you ask！〃
〃I'm sure I don't see why not；〃 argued Billy。 〃I'm merely giving
you an invitation and all you have to do is to accept it。〃
〃But the invitation is only the kind way your heart has of covering
another of your many charities；〃 objected Marie； 〃besides； I have
to teach。 I have my living to earn。〃
〃But you can't；〃 demurred the other。 〃That's just the trouble。
Don't you see？ The doctor said last night that you must not teach
again this winter。〃
〃Not teachagainthis winter！ No； no； he could not be so cruel
as that！〃
〃It wasn't cruel； dear； it was kind。 You would be ill if you
attempted it。 Now you'll get better。 He says all you need is rest
and careand that's exactly what I mean my guest shall have。〃
Quick tears came to the sick girl's eyes。
〃There couldn't be a kinder heart than yours； Miss Billy；〃 she
murmured； 〃but I couldn'tI really couldn't be a burden to you
like this。 I shall go to some hospital。〃
〃But you aren't going to be a burden。 You are going to be my
friend and companion。〃
〃A companionand in bed like this？〃
〃Well； THAT wouldn't be impossible；〃 smiled Billy； 〃but； as it
happens you won't have to put that to the test； for you'll soon be
up and dressed。 The doctor says so。 Now surely you will stay。〃
There was a long pause。 The little music teacher's eyes had left
Billy's face and were circling the room； wistfully lingering on the
hangings of filmy lace； the dainty wall covering； and the exquisite
water colors in their white…and…gold frames。 At last she drew a
deep sigh。
〃Yes； I'll stay；〃 she breathed rapturously； 〃butyou must let me
help。〃
〃Help？ Help what？〃
〃Help you； your letters； your music…copying； your accounts
anything； everything。 And if you don't let me help；〃the music
teacher's voice was very stern now〃if you don't let me help； I
shall go home justassoonasIcanwalk！〃
〃Dear me！〃 dimpled Billy。 〃And is that all？ Well； you shall help；
and to your heart's content； too。 In fact； I'm not at all sure
that I sha'n't keep you darning stockings and making puddings all
the time；〃 she added mischievously； as she left the room。
Miss Hawthorn sat up the next day。 The day following； in one of
Billy's 〃fluttery wrappers；〃 as she called them； she walked all
about the room。 Very soon she was able to go down…stairs； and in
an astonishingly short time she fitted into the daily life as if
she had always been there。 She was； moreover； of such assistance
to Billy that even she herself could see the value of her work； and
so she stayed； content。
The little music teacher saw a good deal of Billy's friends then；
particularly of the Henshaw brothers； and very glad was Billy to
see the comradeship growing between them。 She had known that
William would be kind to the orphan girl； but she had feared that
Marie would not understand Bertram's nonsense or Cyril's reserve。
But very soon Bertram had begged； and obtained； permission to try
to reproduce on canvas the sheen of the fine； fair hair； and the
veiled bloom of the rose…leaf skin that were Marie's greatest
charms； and already Cyril had unbent from his usual stiffness
enough to play to her twice。 So Billy's fears on that score were
at an end。
CHAPTER XXXI
THE ENGAGEMENT OF ONE
Many times during those winter days Billy thought of Marie's words：
〃But what if the man and the music both happen to be on the same
side？〃 They worried her； to some extent； and； curiously； they
pleased and displeased her at the same time。
She told herself that she knew very well； of course； what Marie
meant： it was Cyril； he was the man； and the music。 But was Cyril
beginning to care for her； and did she want him to？ Very seriously
one day Billy asked herself these questions； very calmly she argued
the matter in her mindas was Billy's way。
She was proud； certainly； of what her influence had apparently done
for Cyril。 She was gratified that to her he was showing the real
depth and beauty of his nature。 It WAS flattering to feel that
she； and only she； had thus won the regard of a professional woman…
hater。 Then； besides all this； there was his mus
